The Missing Parents Club

Curiosity killed the Cat

Neo:

2 years have passed and we were now seven years old. 2 years have passed and none of us have been adopted. Currently, we were getting homeschooled by Ms. Mellicaid in the orphanage's library. Carnac has two floors plus the attic. In the first floor, there's a kitchen, Ms. Mellicaid's office, and the library. On the second floor are our room's and bathrooms.

"Neo sweetie could you tell me what the right answer is?" Ms. Mellicaid's gentle voice snapped me out of my train of thought. Ms. Mellicaid was a very pretty woman, she had black wavy hair that she kept in a messy bun, with emerald green eyes and tanned skin. I nodded and looked at the problem 5x8, that was 3rd-grade math and in scholar terms, we were in 2nd grade but we understood everything and have even been doing some 4rth grade stuff since Ms. Mellicaid is such a good teacher.

I thought for a moment and did the math in my head when I was done I looked at Ms. Mellicaid and signed 'The answer is 40'. Ms. Mellicaid smiled widely "Yes correct! Now take break kids we'll start with English in a few" she chirped. Every day we had four hours of 'School' one for Math, English, History and the last hour we like to call 'Mixed Subjects' since we learn anything else other than Math, English, and History that Ms.Mellicaid thinks it's useful and worth knowing. 

When Ms. Mellicaid exited the room to go and get her English materials Mercury groaned from behind. I turned around to see him on the floor, he sighed dramatically "That's it! Here's where I'm gonna die!" he shouted. Ren and Nora rolled their eyes while Oscar ignored him and continued to explain the problem again to Ruby who didn't understand but Emerald just looked bored.

She lightly kicked him on the back "Get up you doofus you won't die 'cause of an overdose of English verbs I assure you" said Emerald "No~" groaned Mercury. It was just us since Joe, Nancy and Luke had their classes in the afternoon while we had them in the morning, that's why we weren't so close with them, we didn't spend that much time together. The rest of the morning went by in a blur, soon we ate lunch and it was our favorite part of the day: the afternoon.

We went outside down the rock path and to our favorite tree. When we got there Nora did a low whistled "Well, we sure haven't been here in a while," she said "Yeah, like what two years?" asked Ruby "Yep, two years the Adoption Day before the last" confirmed Oscar. We started playing around I went to the third branch and started playing with my umbrella. It was quite big though, at one point I swung my arm up and it hit something. I looked up and noticed it was the next branch then it occurred to me, we had grown during those two years and now could reach the next branches.

I snapped my fingers to get everyone's attention "Is something wrong?" asked Ren, he was in the branch below me meditating 'No' I signed "Then what is it?" asked Emerald 'We can reach now' I signed "Reach what?" questioned Ruby. I pointed at the fourth branch and climbed it for the first time. Oscar, Mercury, Nora, and Ruby gasped "We can reach it!" cheered Oscar.

'C' mon!' I signed Impatiently. I started climbing while Ren, Ruby, Emerald, and Nora followed suit. We looked down at Mercury knowing it might be a bit hard for him. "Need help loser?" asked Emerald "Pfffft! Watch and learn Sustrai!" called Mercury and Emerald growled. She hated being called by her last name since it was her mother's. Mercury mumbled an apology and climbed the tree faster than even me. 

"Wow for having prosthetic legs you're quite the climber." called out Oscar who was still at the roots of the tree. Mercury smiled smugly "Thanks" we looked down but Oscar wasn't there anymore "But you're still no match for me" I jumped and turned around, Oscar was right next to me! How did he climb here so fast! Oscar chuckled at or surprised faces and I was about to ask him when did he learn to climb so fast but Nora interrupted us. 

"Hey look!" we looked up, Nora was already on the fifth branch "We can jump over the fence from this height, the woods are dead ahead" she was kidding, right? "What no! You know Ms. Mellicaid doesn't even let us go to the town alone much less the woods!" shouted Ruby. Mercury laughed as he joined Nora "Aww, What scared?" he teased. Ruby scrunched her nose but didn't answer. Oscar sighed next to me "Mercury~ do not jump" he warned.

Mercury smirked and jumped over the fence resulting in Ruby and Oscar facepalming. Nora then cheered "Woohoo! Let's go!" Ren tried to hold her back "Nora no!" but Nora was already down with Mercury. Emerald clapped her hands together "Alright then!" was all she said before landing next to Nora. Ruby and Ren groaned whilst Oscar shouted "Ugh~! Is anybody listening!?" at that comment I jumped too.

"Neo!" snapped Ruby. I looked up at them and smirked "Get up here the woods aren't safe" warned Ren "Ugh~ You all are buzz killers" complained Mercury "Let's go explore!" proposed Emerald "Yeah!" agreed Nora. Mercury, Nora, and Emerald ran straight into the woods and I followed.

"Are you kidding me!" I heard Oscar shout "C' mon Os you know we're gonna get in trouble if you don't follow!" said Nora. I heard some angry mumbling and then three 'THUDS' I looked back and smirked at the sight of Oscar, Ruby, and Ren now following us.

In just a few minutes we were already deep into the forest with Ren, Oscar, and Ruby chasing after us. We didn't stop until we reached a small clearing. I stopped and so did Emerald, Mercury, and Nora. We looked around the tall oak trees blocked most of the sunlight, there were some big rocks around the place, but what took up most of the place was a giant pile of huge rocks probably as high as Carnac's first floor and a bit more.

"Guys!" called out Ruby. I turned around Ruby, Ren, and Oscar had caught up with us "Wow, this place ain't half-bad" admired Emerald ignoring our out-of-breath friends. Ruby, Oscar, and Ren were still catching their breath "Let's build a fort!" exclaimed Nora "No, No No one is building anything we have to leave before Ms. Mellicaid notices we're gone" said Oscar. 

"She won't she's teaching Joe, Nancy, and Luke," said Mercury "He's right~" agreed Emerald. The argument went on for some minutes while I managed to slip out. I jumped on some rocks and looked around until something caught my eye. There were some plants and vines on the pile of rocks but there was something underneath, I went closer and extended my hand but it just went straight through.

 I moved the vines aside and there were no rocks on the other side but a tunnel. I stared at it for some seconds until Nora's voice snapped me back to the present "Neo, watcha doing there?" I looked back at the MPC and pointed at the tunnel. They all gasped, we all approached the tunnel slowly in a trance-like way and went inside.

(A/N: Ooh~ What does the tunnel lead to? You'll have to wait and see!)